Expanding pole key



April 14, 1942. E. M. FE'E ETIAL EXPANDING POLE KEY Filed May 13, 1940 INVENTOS. .ZdwandM jcz Oavles 1?. MM

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 14, 1942 ETED STATES PATENT QF'I'CE EXPANDING POLE KEY Missouri Application May 13, 1940, Serial No. 335,008

Claims. Cl. 139-92) The present invention relates to expanding pole keys and is particularly concerned with the provision of improved devices for transmitting the thrust or force from a telephone pole or other earth-embedded member to a relatively large area of earth or other material in which the member is embedded.

It has been the practice, where telephone, telegraph or transmission line poles are subjected to a pull in any predetermined direction, to pro- 10 vide the pole with one or more wooden plank members which are called keys. These planks have been used in the ground engaging the pole just below the point Where it emerges from the ground for transmitting any forces from the pole 115 to a larger area of the earth.

Keys of plank have also been used in the hole for such poles at the bottom of the pole and on the side of the pole opposite to the direction in which the pull is exerted on the pole at the top of the pole.

Such pole keys as have been used at the top of the hole for engaging a pole are relatively easy to place, and a plank applied at this point serves its purpose fairly well and economically. It is 2;?

relatively difficult, however, to place such a plank at the bottom of a hole for a telephone or other pole, because of the tendency of the earth to cave in and the necessity for digging under and widening the hole at the bottom to receive the plank. 39

As a result, the workmen tend to neglect this part of the installation and on account of the difficulties of inserting a wooden key or plank properly at the bottom of the holeQthe wooden keys have frequently been cut off, which renders them unsuitable for their purpose and results in an unsatisfactory installation.

Although wooden pole keys such as a plank are economical in cost, the amount of time and labor spent in making an installation renders the .40

at the bottom.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved pole key anchor of the expanding type which maybe installed so quickly and easily that time and labor will be saved and,

in spite of the relatively larger cost of an expand-i ing pole key, a better and more economical installation may be made.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved expanding member which may be inserted in a hole in the ground in folded or contracted form and which maybe very easily and quickly expanded in such manner that its blades cut into the adjacent parts of the ground that have not been disturbed so that they are firmly anchored therein against any thrust which is transverse to the plane of the anchoringblades.

Another object of the invention is the provi- I sion of an improved expanding pole key which is adapted to be installed by using an ordinary guy rod and from which the guy rod may be removed after the pole key has been installed and expanded.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved expanding pole key of the class described, which is simple, economical of manufacture, sturdy, and capable of being in stalled in a minimum amount of time and with a minimum amount of labor.

Another object ,of the invention is the provision of an improved expanding pole key which utilizes a minimum amount of metal in its manufacture and which may be manufactured with a minimum amount of machine operationsso that the expanding pole keys may be manufactured so economically that they may be sold within a price range that will enable them to be used generally on all telephone and telegraph poles and transmission line pole installations.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description and the accompanying drawing in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the single sheet of drawings accompanying this specification:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken through a transmission line pole installation showing the pole and key in perspective and the earth in section;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the expanding pole key in contracted position;

Figure 3 is another side elevational view taken from the edges of the expanding blades;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the expanding pole key in expanded position; and 1 Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the plane of the line 55 of Figure 4 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to Figure 1, l0 indicates the hole :metalshapes, cast metal; or sheet metal.

which has been dug in the earth H for the installation of a transmission line pole l2 which is to be subjected to a transverse strain or pole or thrust at the top of the pole as indicated diagrammatically by the arrow at |3. Such a pole may be provided with a wooden pole key M which may, for example, consist of a plank 3 x x 1%". Such pole keys may-merely be held in place by the fill in the hole H] or they may be spiked or otherwise secured to the pole |.2.

I5 indicates in its entirety an expanding pole key constructed according to the present invention and adapted to be installed by the use of an ordinary guy rod I6 of the-typehaving an eye IT at its upper end and a threaded portion |8 at its lower end. The expanding pole key I5 is preferably installed on the side of the pole opposite to the upper'pole key 44,- thatis, the'side opposite to the direction in which force is being applied to some upper portion of the pole l2.

'It' wlllbe'evident to those skilled in the art of installation of poles-that poleutkeysxinstalled means'at the bottom, such as a bearing plate 20,

for attachment to the guy rod l6 and for engagin'g'theiearth at the bottom of the hole when the zpole key is being expanded; It alsopreferably comprises one or-more expanding-bladesor plates 2|; 22;.niovably mounted onthe bearing plate 2|] j inifsuch manner that they may be folded substantially as shown .inFigure 2 by overlapping each'rother or expanded substantially "as shown rinfFigurex4ito'give'the polekey alarger effective area.

:Thepole'key is also preferably provided with force Jtransmitting means for expanding the :bla'dese2|,'22, such as, for example, the links 23, .24',iwhich' arelpivotally connected to the blades -at;25, '-26, in such manner that a downward force applied :to'the links :23, 24, tends to cause the blades to separate 'or expand.

Theilinks 23, 24 are 'pre'ferably pivotally con- :nected :to .a crosshead "or. sliding member '21, at 'the:points 28,129; for'the purpose'of guiding the 33, one being located on each side of the guy rod l6 and the apertures preferably being equally spaced from the guy rod. These apertures in the embodiment illustrated are adapted to receive the standard bolts 28, 29 which pass through the apertures 33 and through apertures 34 in the links 23, 24. p

The bolts are secured in place by suitable nuts in such manner that thelinks 23, 24 are piv- .0tally mounted at 28, 29, on the crosshead 21.

"In other embodiments of the invention, rivets of :suitable'length and thickness may be used instead of bolts at each of the pivotal points 25, 26, 28, 29,*and 35;of the expanding pole key.

It shouldbeunderstood, however, that considerable forceis; applied to the crosshead 21 and to the links 23, 24, to force the blades 2|, 22 into the earth,.gravel,.or other form of terrain, and the pivot. members, whether they be bolts or rivets, must be of suflicient thickness and strength'to withstand these forces under the most adverse conditions.

Referring to Figure 3, it will be notedrthat-the 'links 23, ,24have beenldoubled upon both sides of-thedevice, there being-two links 23 andtwo links24 for the purpose .of stiffening the assembly and applying the loads {symmetrically to the bolts 25, 26' and 28, 28. Thus, bolt 29 pivotally movement of the'upper ends of these links, and I to permit the convenient+application of force to therlinks for expanding the anchor.

head 21 is preferablyslidably'mounted on the zupper portion'of" the 'guy rod l6 and for this purposeit-may have a slightly enlarged aperture 30 .for passing thethrea'dedxportion I8 of the guy rod and receiving :theibody of the guy rod.

The crosshead 21 "is preferably of the most simple constructiongnd it'may be made of stock It preferably'comprises-aflange 3| extending generally 'inthe:plane-of-the?blades 2|, 22 and links .-.23, 24,and:a.'fiange :32 extending transversely "to the ,fiange 3| and transversely to the guy rod l6 -sothat=it maybe provided with the guide aper- V ture 30.

Flange 3| is provided with suitable apertures The crosssupports two links 24 at the top and bolt 28 pivotally supports two links 23 at the top the links of each'set being arranged on the opposite sides of the vertical flange 3| of the crosshead 21. I By thisarrangement the force exerted on the crossheadis transmitted .to links on both. faces .of the crossheadflange 3|. The double link arrangement is also .strongerthan a single link.

Attheir lowerwends-the links 23, 24 are also 'provided with apertures for passing the bolts'25,

126 -andthe links are arranged so that the two links .23 are pivotally secured to the blade 2| by the bolt 25 and the links 24 are pivotally secured to blade 22-by bolt 26.

- The plates -:2| :and"22 are provided with=aper- :tures for the ,bolts 25, 26-and the apertures are preferably so-located that when the device is fullyfolded as shown in- Figure 2, the links 23, '24 "have not yet reached vertical position but extend diagonally outward from the top; that is, theibolts 25, 25 'are farther apart than the bolts 28, :29swhen the pole key is folded.

'I'his:leaves the links in position to transmit to the :blades 2|, 22 a horizontal component so that-whenforce isapplied-vertically and longitudinally of the guy rod I'B'to the crosshead 21, the links 23, 24:tend to push the plates 2|, 22 outward at the pivot points 25, 26.

The blades or plates 2|, 22 may be of various different shapes, but for the purpose of saving material, we prefer to make the blades 2l, 22

of; metal plates ofsubstantially rectangular shape or {having end portions which fit together to --make-.two blades economically out of one piece. -'Thus, the metal plates2l, 22 may be identical in shape and construction but oppositely disposed in the anchor. Each may have a substantially straight upper edge 36 and a straight -lower edge 531 and its outer edge 38 in expanded position-of Figure 4 may extend diagonally upwardsothatthe upper edge 36 is longer.

Two such blades may be provided with this diagonal edge 38 without any waste, since the edge '38 of one 'blade'corresponds to a similar -edge 01125110171181 blade in the inverted position on the pattem.

Theblades are providedwithapertures 4|l,-4|

at their inner ends, and the apertures are of sufficient size to receive a relatively thick bolt or trunnion 42 which also passes through an upwardly extending supporting plate 43 carried by the bearing plate 20.

In order that the inner edges of the pole key blades may not interfere with the bearing plate, these edges are preferably rounded at 44, 45, being defined by a circle, the center of which is located at the center of the apertures 40, 4|. The bearing plate 20 preferably comprises a metal member having a lower horizontal flange 45 which is of sufiicient area to engage the earth in the bottom of the hole and transmit to the earth the thrust which is applied to the assembly when the anchor is being expanded.

The bearing plate may also have a vertically extending flange 41 on one side of the blades 2|, 22 and it may carry the supporting plate 43 which is located on the other side of the blades 2| and 22. The supporting plate 43 consists of a flat metal plate which extends upwardly from the bearing plate 20 sufficiently to pivotally support and guide the blades 2|, 22.

This bearing plate may be welded to the lower flange 46 of the bearing plate 2|] at 48 and it is provided with an aperture 49 for receiving the bolt or rivet 42. Bolt or rivet 42 extends through blades 2|, 22 and 43 and pivotally'supports the blades 2|, 22 on the supporting plate 43.

The edges 36 of the blades 2|, 22 are adapted to serve as stop surfaces for engaging the edges of the links 23 and 24 when the pole key is contracted to the position of Figure 2. Thus, the pole key cannot be contracted beyond the position where force supplied to the crosshead 21 will expand the blades 2|, 22.

The edges 31 of the blades 2|, 22 are adapted to act as stop surfaces for engaging the upper surface of the lower flange 46 of the bearing plate 20 to determine the limit of expanding movement of the blades 2|, 22 as shown in Figure 4.

In order that the expanding pole key may be conveniently handled with an ordinary guy rod or other threaded member, and in order that the guy rod may be used over and over again for installing successive pole keys, the bearing plate 20 is preferably provided with a threaded aperture 50, the axis of the aperture being in substantial alignment with that of the aperture 30 in the crosshead 21.

Aperture 50 may be formed in an extension of the lower flange 46 of the bearing plate 20 or it may be the threaded aperture of a standard nut which is also secured to the bearing plate 20 by the welded portion 48. Threaded aperture 50 is complementary to the threads I8 on the guy rod It. When the guy rod 16 is passed through the aperture 30 and threaded into the aperture 50, the expanding pole key may be lifted and installed very conveniently in the hole Ill.

The edges 37, 38 of the blades 2|, 22 may be suitably sharpened by providing them with a suitable bevel on one or both sides of the plate so that these edges may more readily enter the earth, but in some embodiments of the invention it will be unnecessary to sharpen the edges at all, as the plates may be thin enough to force into the earth easily with the forces that can be applied to the crosshead 21.

In other embodiments of the invention, only a part of these blade edges need be beveled as at the corner 52 on both sides of each blade.

The shape and arrangement of the edges 31, 38 and corner 52, are such that as the blades pivot downward from the position of Figure 2 to Figure 4, there is a sliding cutting action taking place between the edges of the leading blades and the earth into which they are being forced. This tends to permit the blades to be forced into the earth with a minimum amount of efiort.

The expanding pole key is preferably installed in the manner shown in Figure 1 with its back side, that is the side opposite to the guy rod, engaging the transmission line pole. When the anchor is put in the hole, it is 'in the position of Figure 2 and a standard tamper of the type tamping weight slidably mounted on the guy rod l6 above the crosshead 21. The tamper may then be actuated up and down by means of its red handle striking the horizontal blade 32 of the crosshead 21 with blows which tend. to force the crosshead down, spreading the links 23, 24 at their lower ends 25, 26.

The crosshead is adapted toslide on the guy rod, but the lower bearing plate 20 engages the earth at the bottom of the hole and its further movement downward is soon resisted. Further tamping on the crosshead 21 causes the blades 2|, 22 to be expanded edgewise into the earth which forms the walls of the hole l0 until these blades 2|, 22 are firmly engaged in the earth and atthe same time located in engagement with the side of the pole at its extreme base.

The expanding pole key is thus adapted to provide a relatively large key area at the bottom of the pole for resisting the lateral shift of the bottom of the pole in the direction in which it would be shifted by the force applied according to the arrow l3. Such pole keys may be installed and expanded with a minimum amount of labor and there is no possibility that the workmen may re-' duce the effectiveness of the installation as they havedone in the past where wooden pole keys have been cut off for the bottom of the pole due to the difficulties of installation.

Much time and labor will be saved by the use of these expanding pole keys because it is not necessary to'make the hole larger at the bottom and not necessary to dig holes as deep as they tion and operation of its parts. When it is placed in the hole with its back engaging the pole and with the blades in contracted position of Figure 2, the tamping on the crosshead 21 by means of a tool guide on the rod l6 will cause the blades 2|, 22 to expand from the folded or overlapping position of Figure 2 to the position of maximum area shown in Figures 1 and 4.

The points of pivotal engagement between the links 23, 24 and the blades 2|, 22, are located at 25, 26, adjacent the outer edges of the blades, so that the links 23, 24 have a maximum leverage in the transmission of force from the crosshead to the blades.

While the blades still overlap at their inner ends when expanded, this overlapping is only sufli'cientto assure a rigidity of the assembly and transmission of force from the pole to the blade assembly and distribution of this force over the fullareaof the expandediblades.

The links "and crosshead-also add some effective area to the assembly and they aid in increasing the lateral rigidity of the-'assernblyso that there is no tendency toward the bending of a the assembly at the middle where'itengages the pole; When poles. are dug up, such expanding pole keys may. be salvagedand used over again,

if they are not too badly rusted, and, if desired, the complete assembly may be galvanized,,piece by piece, or over-all after 1 assembly, to guard against such corrosion. I

' While we have illustrated'a preferred mbodimentof our invention,- many modifications may v the earth and provided with aflange extending transversely to the first-mentioned flange, a pair of-substantially plane blades pivotally mounted adjacent their lower ends to said latter flange, said blades extending in substantially parallel planes and transversely to said first-mentioned flange, alink secured to each of said blades for pivotallymoving said blades from an overlapping position to a position of maximum spread, and means for pivotally securing the ends of said links together whereby force may be simultaneously applied to both blades.

2. In an expanding pole key, the combination of a; bearing plate provided with a flange adapted to engagethe earthat the bottom of a hole in the earth and provided with'a flange extending transversely to the first-mentioned flange, a pair of substantially plane blades pivotally mounted adjacent their lower ends to said latter flange,

said blades extending in substantially parallel planes and transversely to said first-mentioned flange, a link secured to each of said blades for pivotally moving said blades from an overlapping positiontoa position of maximum spread, and means for pivotally securing the ends of said links together whereby 'force may be simultaneously applied to both blades, said links each comprising a pair of metal members arranged on the opposite sides of saidblades for symmetrical transmission of force to the pivotal members 3. In an expanding pole key, the combination of a bearing plate provided with a flange adapted to engage the earthat the bottom of a hole in the earth and provided with aflange extending transversely to the first-mentioned flange, a pair of substantially plane blades pivotally mounted adjacent their lower ends to' said latter flange, said blades extending in substantially parallel planes and transversely to said first-mentioned flange, a link secured to eachof said blades for pivotally moving said blades from an overlapping position'to a position of maximum spread, and

links together whereby force may be simultaneously applied to both blades, said latter means comprising a crosshead to which the ends of said links are pivoted, said crosshead having a transverse flange adapted'to'be' engaged by a tamper.

4. In an expanding 'pole key, the' combination of a bearing plate provided vwith'a flange adapted to engage the earth at the bottom of ahole in the earth and provided with La flange extending transverselyto the first-mentioned flange, a pair of substantially plane blades pivotally mounted adjacent their lower ends to saidlatter flange, said blades extending in substantially parallel planes and transversely to said first-mentioned flange, a link secured to each of said blades for pivotally moving saidblades 'from an overlapping position to a position of maximum spread, and means for pivotally securing the ends of said links together whereby force'may be simultaneously applied to both blades, said latter means comprising a crosshead to which the ends of said links are pivoted, said crosshead having a transverse flange adapted to be engaged by a tamper, an elongated handle-for placing said pole key in a hole and a removable connection between said handle and bearing plate.

5. In an'expanding pole key, the combination of a bearing plate provided with a flange adapted to engage the earth at the bottom of a holein the earth and provided with a flange extending transversely to the'first-mentioned flange, a pair of substantially plane blades pivotally mounted adjacent their lower ends to said latter flange, said blades extending in substantially parallel planes and transverselyto said first-mentioned flange, a'link secured to each of said blades for pivotally moving said blades from an overlapping position to a' positionof maximum spread, and means for pivotally securing the ends of said links together whereby force may be simultaneously applied to both blades, said latter means comprising a crosshead to which the ends of said links are pivoted, said crosshead having a transverse flange adapted to be engaged by a tamper, an elongated handle for placing said pole key ina hole and a removable connection between said handle and bearing plate, said removable connection comprising complementary threaded means on the handle and pole key.

. 6. In an expanding pole key, the combination of a bearing plate provided with a flange adapted to engage the earth at the bottom of a hole in the earth and-provided with a flange extending transversely to the flrst mentioned flange, a pair of substantially plane blades pivotally mounted adjacent their lower ends tosaid latter flange, said blades extending in substantially parallel planesx and transversely to said first-mentioned flange, a link secured to each of said blades for pivotally moving said blades from an overlapping position to a position of maximum spread, and means for pivotally securing the ends of said links together whereby force may be simulta- 7 an elongated handle for-placing said'pole key means for pivotally securing the endsv of said in a hole and a removable connection between said handle and bearing plate, said removable connection comprising complementary threaded means on the handle and pole key, said crosshead having guide surfaces for slidable engagementwith parts ofsaid handle.

'7. In an electrical pole installation, the combination of a wooden linepole embedded in the earth, with a separate expanding pole key located adjacent the lower end of said pole and bearing against the side of the pole, said expanding pole key comprising a pair of blade members extending in a substantially vertical direction, and means for mounting said blade members movably with respect to each other, whereby the blade members may be overlapped in contracted position for installation in the hole and expanded into a maximum area by moving the blades from the overlapping contracted position into a position where they are embedded in the earth adjacent the lower end of the pole to provide a maximum bearing for the horizontal thrust of the end of the pole against the earth.

8. In an electric pole installation, the combination of a wooden line pole embedded in the earth, with a separate expanding pole key located adjacent the lower end of said pole and bearing against the side of the pole, said expanding pole key comprising a pair of blade members extending in a substantially vertical direction, and means for mounting said blade members movably with respect to each other, wherebythe blade members may be overlapped in conhole, whereby the pole key may be placed in posi-' tion in the hole and said latter means removed.

9. In an electric pole installation, the combination of a wooden line pole embedded in the earth, with a separate expanding pole key located adjacent the lower end of said pole and bearing against the side of the pole, said expanding pole 'key comprising a pair of blade members extending in a substantially vertical direction, and means for mounting said blade members movably with respect to each other, whereby the blade members may be overlapped in contracted position for installation in the hole and expanded into a maximum area by moving the blades from the overlapping contracted position into a position where they are embedded in the earth'adjacent the lower end of the pole to provide a maximum bearing for the horizontal thrust of the end of the pole against the earth, said expanding pole key also comprising a bearing member for engaging the earth in the bottom of said hole while expanding force is applied to said blades.

10. In an electric pole installation, the combination of a wooden line pole embedded in the earth, with a separate expanding pole key located adjacent the lower end of said pole and bearing against the side of the pole, said expanding pole key comprising a pair of blade members extending in a substantially vertical direction, and means for mounting said blade members movably with respect to each other;

whereby the blade members may be overlapped in contracted position for installation in the hole and expanded into a maximum area by moving the blades from the overlapping contracted position into a position where they are embedded in the earth adjacent the lower end of the pole to provide a maximum bearing for the horizontal thrust of the end of the pole against the earth, and common means for the application of expanding force simultaneously to both blades.

EDWARD M. FEE., CHARLES R. MURRIE.

CERTIFICATE OF doRREcTIoN. Patent No. 2,279,918. April 114. 1914.2;

EDWARD M. FEE, ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows; In the grant, 'line 2, and in the heading tothe specification, line A, name of assignee,

for "R. B." read --A B.--; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the .same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Qffice. I

Signed and sealed this 50th day of June, A. 1). 19h2.

. Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Coxmnissioner of Patents. 

